Coughton Court and Packwood House

On the way south to Worcestershire, we stopped once, at Baddesley Clinton. On the way back to Derby we pulled in two National Trust visits - first at Coughton Court, then at Packwood House; both involving a little snack at the tea rooms.

We visited Coughton Court last year and accidentally caught the wisteria in full bloom. This time we were too early, and the trees very much still in the 'bare bones' stage.

The gardens still had good places to sit and relax after being in the car, and I ambled along from one seat to another, till we reached the orchard.

Some trees, damsons mainly, were coming into blossom along the south-facing wall but the main attraction was bulbs flowering beneath the trees.

From here we continued past the (second) church returning to the house via the riverside walk. 

 Back in the car then and onward the relatively short distance to Packwood House.

Again the visit started with a snack. this time including the NT scone of the month lemon and white chocolate with clotted cream.

I thought this was a property I'd previously visited, but I had no recollection of it at all! 

 

The topiary garden was temporarily closed and main gardens by the house were still  in that slightly sluggish early spring mood. At the back of the house though, we were met with a marvelous display of daffodils, flanking the path down towards the lake. 

I'm not sure that I've seen so many daffodils anywhere!

Paths led backwards and forwards among them but we headed straight on as I wasn't sure how far the path around the lake would be.

As it turned out. not as far as I'd feared.

Packwood definitely looks like a garden to re-visit in summer, and perhaps (if I were feeling really fit) to attempt the walk to Baddesley Clinton, which isn't that far away.

Wisteria again - Coughton Court

Coming back from our stay in Tintern, we stumbled accidentally on Coughton Court, a National trust property in Warwickshire with a wonderful display of wisteria. 

We'd decided it would be better to avoid the motorways as much as possible and to travel home via the A roads through Evesham and Alcester. Unfortunately on a Friday afternoon these roads seem to be just as busy, so imagine my relief when I spotted signs for Coughton Court. Now, I love a National Trust property for a break in a journey but I hadn't actually realised we would be passing anywhere near, let alone past the entrance, so this was a real delight. We were close to closing time but ten minutes wandering round the gardens would be better than ten minutes in a queue of traffic, and with luck the traffic congestion would have eased when we got back on the road.

I've been before but didn't remember the gardens at all - and they are wonderful. A walled garden is always something special - you open a door in a wall and who knows what may be behind? - but Coughton's is something extra special; a garden straight out of a fairy tale.

It's sub-divided into several garden 'rooms' with paths leading between herbaceous borders, roses and vines clamber over arches and tunnels, and just visible at the end of the walk is a wisteria.

Turning the corner I found four wonderful wisterias  Mostly I've seen wisteria growing along walls but these were free-standing like laburnums and oh so beautiful.

With pale flowers in the surrounding beds, this has to be the dreamiest garden ever. 

Elsewhere wisteria grows in a more traditional manner against walls but somehow isn't as magical as the free-standing trees.

Elsewhere in the grounds there are ponds, a lake, and two churches but we didn't have time to explore further. This is definitely a place I'll be back to. It's not far from home - possibly within the reach of a day trip - and the few roses that were starting to flower promised a wonderful display.